I finally pulled myself together and made our blackberries into jam this afternoon - which unexpectedly turned into evening. I doubled the quantities as we have had such a good crop this year and it took forever to reach setting point. And then I got to work with my favourite piece of kitchen equipment - my metal sieve which also took forever but I can't be doing with all those blackberry seeds in my jam. I also knocked up a couple of lemon cakes - we had a glut of eggs and Nigel is off to see his mum tomorrow so it seemed like a plan - but then I realised that the white eggs have gone stale much quicker than the brown (thin shells?) so I had to throw a load out and the girls didn't lay today so I'm going to have to buy some eggs for Sunday - disaster! Thanks for all your lovely comments and apologies for my inadequate activity - it's been crazy busy but I will try and pull myself together.
Three GT:
1 A large rawhide chew from the back of the cupboard is entertaining Monty who has been a right pain - always seems to be hungry at the moment.
2. Six jars of bramble jelly cooling.
3. I've finished 'The Hive' - a book with great press reviews but in fact so terrible (I'd go so far as to say the most annoying book I've ever read) that it actually became entertaining (in a masochistic sort of a way!)
Well done on the jelly front. I usually put mine through a jelly bag - saves all that straining. Haven't made any this year though. Think I will just freeze them and use for crumbles and pies. (Oh dear - I just ate a HUGE pack of crisps.)
Ooooooohhhh love blackberry jam, well done you. It is difficult to set and Have ruined a batch I the past by over boiling turning it to treacle! All that hard work!!!! Haven't found enough this year, either underripe and red or overripe and collapsing.
@lucypics There's a good batch down by the river - we'll have to have a walk - and quite a few more in my garden - I'll pick and freeze - 2.5 kilos so far!
Oh I wonder if I should make mine into jam...I usually just do the easy way & shove them in the freezer.......jam does sound nice!!
Our girls have gone off lay too this last few days, only the pullets laying. Shall avoid The Hive.
I agree with @dh ! I just freeze mine as is then shove some brown sugar with them as they thaw! I hate it when the afternoon disappears into evening without permission!
A mouthwatering shot! It's a long time since I've made jam. I so well remember going blackberrying with my mother as a child, and the smell of the blackberries cooking in kilner jars in the oven after we got back.
Nigella eat your heart out! I have got a small freezer in a
Pare stable that is basically full of thongs that should be turned into jam, but I never find the time. I have got the Hive on my 'Audible' wish list- just off to delete it. Just read 'The Ginger Tree ' by Oswald somebody which was fantastic, and Gone Girl which had good reviews but I thought was crap. Reading St. Maybe by Anne Tyler, at the moment Love her stuff.
@jantan Thanks for the tips - especially thong jam - I'll have to find a recipe for that. I quite liked Gone Girl until it had the most ridiculous annoying ending I've ever read. Will look the others up.
@jantan Yes he turned into a right wimp. Hive had so many annoying aspects - outrageously middle class, obnoxious to outsiders and each other, telling their children to allow others to be bullied because the perpetrator was daughter of the 'queen bee', really (!) annoying habit of walking yr 5's into the classroom and it's supposed to be funny...
Thought you'd gone all rasta - great title. Where did you get the sieve - I too can't stand pips. We've got dozens of jars of Gooseberry, raspberry, blackcurrant etc full of pips
Our girls have gone off lay too this last few days, only the pullets laying. Shall avoid The Hive.
Pare stable that is basically full of thongs that should be turned into jam, but I never find the time. I have got the Hive on my 'Audible' wish list- just off to delete it. Just read 'The Ginger Tree ' by Oswald somebody which was fantastic, and Gone Girl which had good reviews but I thought was crap. Reading St. Maybe by Anne Tyler, at the moment Love her stuff.